What does it take to be a Leader?

Leadership.

“Leadership is not magnetic personality – That can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not ‘Making Friends and Influencing People’ – That is Flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its limitations” – Peter Drucker

Something to think about, being a leader is more than just personality. It is bringing yourself and everyone around you to do the best possible.

You have to understand that being a leader is much more than just having a hard working mentality, you have to have the drive to make those around you better as well. For the most part, great leaders are generally natural leaders. You can learn the traits needed, but even the biggest leaders have something special. Like I said, a truly great leader makes everyone around them better. Having effective leadership is crucial in our world, not only in politics, but the workplace and society.

Leaders are something that can be learned, or are you born with it?

Empathy is another must for a Leader

Well, you would think leadership and empathy are a given right?

Not necessarily, but it is extremely important for a great leader to have. Being able to understand the feelings of others brings you closer to being relateable. Again, that is a huge must for any type of leader, up to the president. Regardless, it gives a more human aspect to the role, rather than just being a robot, you have and express emotions.

I don’t know about you, but with me if you can relate and show respect you will be a decent leader in my eyes. Along with that having other respecting you gives the ability to influence others.

Nonetheless, empathy is one of those things that is sort of there, rather than acquired.

My Experience With Leaders

I’ve had more than my share of experiences. From the workplace, the baseball field, you name it, I’ve been there and done that. In the workplace, I find that it is the hardest thing to differentiate between being a manager and a leader. Where I’ve worked in places where my co-workers would come to me, before they would go to the manager. Just by having that mutual respect, and understanding I suppose.

But this has even happened when I’ve worked in a particular job for a short amount of time. I worked as an Activities Coordinator for less than a month, and I already was having co-workers come to me with questions, before the managers. So from me, a great leader is a variety of things. Yes having empathy helps, but you also have to have the right demeanor about you as well.

How you carry yourself is a huge deal. Body language is arguably the most important thing in any type of interactions.

Leaders have to understand that. With leadership comes more than just a role or title, you have people looking up to you, and to you for answers.